USA Custom Radius Series

CosmicDebris · #1 04-12-2008, 09:32 PM

Did the USA Custom shop ever make any of those? I have been looking for a cool radius model for a while and got one on the way. Has a USA Custom logo on the head stock. Regardless I dig the guitar.

CosmicDebris · #2 04-13-2008, 11:04 AM

Here are some pics (not mine) I dig the color on it and the orginal Edge.

jallen · #3 04-13-2008, 11:21 AM

I knew whoever won that would be on here. I was bidding on that as well- looks really cool. Take some proper pics when it arrives (and let me know if you want to re-sell it).

CosmicDebris · #4 04-13-2008, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jallen

I knew whoever won that would be on here. I was bidding on that as well- looks really cool. Take some proper pics when it arrives (and let me know if you want to re-sell it).

lol, were you the dude up to the end? The dude didn't know what he had.

ButchRG · #5 04-13-2008, 12:13 PM

I've seen a few of those. Mid to Late 80's I think. I never understood why IBZ put "USA Custom" on the headstock. It's MIJ. Nice guitar nonetheless.

If I'm not mistaken, eventually they dropped "USA" and just put "Custom Made" (which obviously it's not either) on the them.

jallen · #6 04-13-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicDebris

lol, were you the dude up to the end? The dude didn't know what he had.

Not quite at the end- I was leading most of the week and had a $500 ish bid ready to go...but couldn't quite pull the trigger. Just bought a house, so I had to be frugal. But yeah- with a proper listing (and a few parts) it should go for much more.

I thought the pickup choices were interesting- I had those on a RBM-1 (the only other place I remember seeing them really). Seems like a standard early Ibanez USA Custom mix-and-match guitar. Very cool with a custom finish and I bet that neck is gonna feel great! And you got a gigbag too.

CosmicDebris · #7 04-13-2008, 01:37 PM

The pups look pretty hot output. I probally got the parts needed to finish it up.

CosmicDebris · #8 04-15-2008, 05:47 PM

One day shipping, can't beat that.

Anyway, it has turned in to a bit of a project now.

I doubt is it is a USA custom. Back of the neck is stamped RG-550R with a Red C and Black V stamped on it. No serial on the headstock it is on the back of the neck. F155873. The body neck cavity has "Ibanez" stamped in a kinda semi-circle with a faded out curved rectangle with something stamped I can't read. Also has a bit o pink paint or so not much on the body towards the neck route.

Now for the funny stuff. At some point the dude had lost all the string blocks on the trem and had taking the saddles out and put the strings in from behind lmao on that.

Has aftermarket 5way and a push/pull tone. It will get a factory 5way installed. It could use a fretlevel and polish job but that will have to wait.

Pups are Bridge: HB2, Mid: SB1, and neck SB2.

The color is a kinda blue/green burst with what I believe is a pinkish primer as the paint job looks factory.

Just needs some TLC and some robbed parts of my old RG550 I don't play anymore.

jallen · #9 04-15-2008, 06:03 PM

Sure it's not a USA custom? I seem to remember that the early USA Customs were sometimes a bit of a mix and match of Ibanez parts...

CosmicDebris · #10 04-15-2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jallen

Sure it's not a USA custom? I seem to remember that the early USA Customs were sometimes a bit of a mix and match of Ibanez parts...

I could be wrong ofcourse. Either way I do like the feel of the neck. It is alot like my 89 550.

I forgot to mention that the neck marked as a 550 looks like it the last two frets might have been shaved off. The end has a bit of a curve. It had a backstop installed but isn't there anymore. Lucky for me I have a backstop sitting around to put in there. But OMG this thing needs a good cleaning. Too much work for tonight as I feel like playing.

CosmicDebris · #11 04-15-2008, 07:26 PM

Here are some pics. My camera suxs. I could not wait till the weekend to work on it. Putting it together as we speak.

Rich · #12 04-15-2008, 07:48 PM

Trying to shoot closer than the shortest focal length of the camera just makes everything, blurry.

CosmicDebris · #13 04-15-2008, 08:05 PM

Bit late as I am stringing it right now. I scraped some paint in the trem cav and at one time it was a pink guitar. In the 88 Catalog on your site there was a 540RSK. I have read the manuel on our camera and those are the best pics I can take.

The current paint job on it looks factory or real good aftermarket and I mean real good.

scottop1972 · #14 04-17-2008, 06:31 PM

switch the wheel on your camera to the little flower so you can take the really close pics.

sounds like it started as a 540 RSK

CosmicDebris · #15 04-17-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottop1972

switch the wheel on your camera to the little flower so you can take the really close pics.

sounds like it started as a 540 RSK

I will try that when I find what my wife did with it and yes it was a SK. The 88 Catalog shows one. If it is a true USA custom which I still have my doubts then the custom shop took a R SK and made it to what it is now.